Slater is a key member of the New England special teams unit, and was named a captain for the third time this season. His stellar play on both kickoff and punt coverage earned him a spot in the last two Pro Bowls, and will certainly be missed by the Patriots.

With Slater out, players like Marquice Cole and Nate Ebner will need to step up to fill the void.

Slater, now in his sixth season in New England, was drafted in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL draft out of UCLA.

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